Tess Daly on Children In Need: Terry’s absence will be keenly felt

TESS Daly tells Saturday about juggling two of the biggest jobs in TV and how she misses Terry Wogan.

PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: 00:01, Sat, Nov 12, 2016

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Children In Need, Friday, from 7.30pm, BBC1

The sight of Tess Daly giggling at an unexpected wisecrack from Sir Terry Wogan was a regular highlight of Children In Need. For seven years, Tess was one of Terry’s co-presenters on the BBC’s annual fundraising bash, introducing celebrity sketches and charity clips as well as trying to keep her composure when Sir Terry made cheeky unscripted remarks.

It will be very strange not having Terry around

Tess Daly

It was a TV dream team that came to an end last year when illness prevented Terry from presenting the show.

And when he died earlier this year, it marked the end of an era that will be keenly felt at this year’s charity marathon. But the show must go on, and Tess will be part of a team of presenters comprised of Greg James, Ade Adepitan, Rochelle Humes, Marvin Humes and Graham Norton.

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We managed to chat in between her preparations for Children In Need and Strictly’s annual Blackpool extravaganza, which both fall next weekend. Team GB athletes – including rower Helen Glover, hockey player Hollie Webb, canoeist Joe Clarke and taekwondo medalist Lutalo Muhammad – will also be joining Tess and the Strictly dancers for a special episode on Friday.

Relaxed in spite of the pressure, Tess, 47, tells Vicki Power how emotional she’ll find this year’s show without Terry...

It’s certainly a busy time for you, presenting Strictly and Children In Need!

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It all comes at once, but that’s fine by me. I prepare for Strictly from Tuesday each week, when they start sending me scripts and videos. It’s exciting to find out what the contestants will be dancing to and how they’re getting on.

And Children In Need is brilliant fun, a wonderful event that raises a lot of money for the neediest children here at home. I’m privileged to be able to do it. So yes, it’s busy, but my children are big Strictly and Pudsey fans, so they don’t begrudge me going to work.

Which slot are you hosting on Children In Need?

I am opening the show with [Radio 1 DJ] Greg James and really looking forward to working with him. Sadly, I won’t present with Graham Norton – he’ll follow me with Ade Adepitan, but I’m thrilled he’s got involved and I know he’d have the Terry Wogan seal of approval.

I’ll present the first segment for just under two hours and then I’ll be hotfooting it up to Blackpool, taking off my make-up in the car and catching up on the script.

Greg’s tall, which makes a change from last year, when many people commented on the height difference between you and Dermot O’Leary…

Dermot was fabulous, and stepped into Terry’s shoes literally the night before the show. But it’s nice that my high heels won’t be a problem. It’s rare in broadcasting that I get to be shorter than my co-host, but you can’t wear a brogue on TV with a dress – it doesn’t work!

So how do you keep yourself going during this frenetic time?

Plenty of carbs! Also, I make sure I get enough sleep a couple of nights beforehand. Mostly, the adrenaline of live TV drives you through, even if you have an ailment.

What are you most excited to see at Children In Need?

It’s great that Eddie Redmayne agreed to film a sketch for us. To be honest, my highlights are the appeal films – as a parent I get emotional watching them. These are real-life stories happening to children in our country. We need to help.

How do you stop yourself from crying on live television?

I watch the films the night before and have a little cry, because it wouldn’t be professional to cry on TV. The pain these children experience is often so raw that it can be tough to watch, but ultimately it’s a positive message – we want to help make their lives as comfortable as possible.

How do you feel about co-presenting without Terry?

It will be very strange not having Terry around. His absence will be keenly felt, and I can’t imagine not seeing that cheeky glint in his eye as he looked at me across the floor. We always had so much fun together. In his 34 years with the charity, he helped raise more than £840 million for Children In Need and it’s a privilege to help carry that on.

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We are planning on giving the award on the night and we’re fortunate enough to have Terry’s son, Mark, on the show. It’s bound to be emotional.

Do your daughters get involved in Children In Need?

Yes, they do a dress-up day at school and take in a pound to donate – this year’s theme is anything yellow or spotty, a bit like Pudsey himself. Last year, I spent a month trying to track down a Pudsey onesie for dress-up.

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Do they get involved with Strictly, too?

They’ve been dancing to the Strictly theme tune since they were in the womb practically! Now their dad [husband Vernon Kay] sends me videos of them dancing along to the contestants while we’re doing the live show. It’s very sweet.

You’ve presented Children In Need since 2008. Can you pick out one highlight?

Probably in 2008, when Terry and I competed against each other in a Strictly segment. It was terrifying and I was pregnant with Amber. Every time I twirled around with Anton Du Beke, I felt completely nauseous but I couldn’t tell him why because it was before I’d told anyone I was pregnant.

Terry was winding me up that he’d done weeks of training, too. In the end it was hilarious, and I won! I’ve still got my gold Pudsey trophy.